OpenFoam blockMesh: reference internal block interface
 

Dear OpenFoam users,

I am interested in naming an internal interface so I can reference it by that name in a source code. The problem is that internal interface is not a boundary face and it is a face formed by touching interface of 2 blocks created in blockMesh. So my question is, while we can name a normal boundary face, is there a way we can name internal block interface? Thanks.

Peng,

Depending on what you need it for, you could use faceZones or faceSets. Have a look at the propeller tutorial in pimpleDyMFoam folder where this approach is used for setting up an arbitrary mesh interface (AMI) for a rotating geometry.

More precisely, you should look at the topoSet dictionaries and createPatchDict.

Thanks.

I figured it out. The patch type is cyclicAMI which can be defined in blockMesh as follows

side1
{
type cyclicAMI;
neighborPatch side2;
faces
(
(1 2 3 4)
);
}

side2
{
type cyclicAMI;
neighborPatch side1;
faces
(
(8 7 6 5)
);
}

where side1 and side2 are faces formed by the 2 mesh regions' interface. There orientation is opposite from each other. Vertex 1 has exact same coordinate as vertex 5, Vertex 2 has exact same coordinate as Vertex 6 ...

The initial boundary condition for side1 and side2 is:

boundaryFields
(
side1
{
type cyclicAMI;
}
side2
{
type cyclicAMI;
}
);

These boundary condition being "type cyclicAMI" will tell the solver that fielsd from side1 should progagate across side2.